wrap one's head around

present singular third person wraps one's head around · participle present wrapping one's head around · participle past wrapped one's head around · past wrapped one's head around · alternative wrap one's mind around · alternative wrap one's brain around

1. figurativelyinformalTo come to a good understanding of.

   It is sometimes mind-boggling to try and wrap one's head around all the possible information sets which one should try to address.

   1978, Science Policy Foundation, Science & Public Policy, volume 5, page 456

   2 more examples

   “I know how important it is to vote, but I couldn’t wrap my head around the options at that point,” Ms. Dibble said of the 2016 election.

   2020 November 1, “Election at Hand, Biden Leads Trump in Four Key States, Poll Shows”, in New York Times

   Caine was pretty rough around the edges, though. I wasn't quite on Scratch's level of thinking outside the box, but it was good groundwork for something the rest of the team could wrap their heads around.

   2026 March 20, Gooseworx, “hjsakldfhl” (19:55 from the start), in The Amazing Digital Circus, episode 8, spoken by Kinger (Sean Chiplock)

   Synonyms: get one's head around

2. informaluncommonmore literallyTo crash into (something, especially a pole) messily and fatally while travelling in a motor vehicle.

   “Some crazy young bastard wrapped his head around a pole.”

   2011, David Adams Richards, The Coming of Winter, page 14

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see wrap, head, around.

   The words barely left the lips when there came a loud cry and a trample of hoof beats. It was Kelly, radiant and shining, her mane was whipping with her speed. I cried out to her and the mare came to a stop and wrapped her head around mine.

   2005, Charles R. Saint, The A.A.H.